Titus begins with an elaborate salutation in verses 1-4. Then Paul gets down to business. Verses 5-16 begin the main body of this letter. This extended passage is divided into two sections. 

• Verses 5-9 explain the nature of Christian leadership. 
• Verses 10-16 explain the necessity of Christian leadership. 

In this message, we’ll focus on the qualifications for elders in verses 5-9. These qualifications parallel the list in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. But Paul did not cut-and-paste the same list and send it to Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Crete. The two lists have similarities and differences that make them unique. That’s true in terms of their content and their contexts.

In 1 Timothy, Paul addresses the importance of teaching and defending sound doctrine first. Then he lists the qualifications for elders in the middle of the letter. In Titus, Paul delineates the qualifications for elders before he tackles the problem of guarding the truth from error. Likewise, the church at Ephesus was an established congregation. They already had elders and deacons. These are two of the offices in the church.

• Elders lead by serving. 
• Deacons serve by leading. 

Paul instructs Timothy to make sure the leaders are qualified for those roles. The churches at Crete were new congregations that needed proper organizational structure. Paul directed Titus to set things in order by appointing qualified elders. Other critical matters needed to be addressed. The letter will address false teachers, sound doctrine, and Christian conduct. But Paul started with appointing qualified elders. The priority Paul places on this subject is the point of the text: A local church rises and falls with its leadership. 

What kind of man should lead the church? Titus 1:5-9gives three answers to that question. 

A Man of Commitment 

Verse 5 states the occasion of this letter: “This is why I left you in Crete.” Paul had apparently visited Crete. There is no record of this visit in Acts. It must have occurred after his first Roman imprisonment. Paul either found or founded churches in Crete. He was not there long enough to build them up. Paul left Titus in Crete to carry on the work. Titus 3:12 suggests it was a temporary assignment. In the meantime, Paul wrote this letter to confirm and clarify his directives. Verses 5-6 prioritize spiritual leadership that consists of men of commitment. 

The Significance of Committed Men

Why did Paul leave Titus in Crete? Verse 5 gives a twofold answer.  

Church Order. Paul left Titus in Crete “so that you might put what remained into order.” Acts 2:11 reports that there were Cretans present on the Day of Pentecost. It is possible these Cretans went home and preached Christ. Sinners were redeemed, and churches were started. Paul was not content with the church being a nursery for spiritual babies who never grow up. Things needed to be put in order. The verb was a medical term for setting broken bones or straightening crooked bones. The churches of Crete were in bad shape. As Paul’s apostolic emissary, Titus was to put things in order. May the grant us to be “ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda” – the church reformed, always reforming. 

Appointing Elders. Paul left Titus in Crete to “appoint elders.” In the Old Testament, “elders” were old men who led a family, tribe, or city. The New Testament uses the term for pastors. A pastor need not be old, but he should be mature. Except for 1 Peter 5:1, “elders” is always plural. The church should not be a one-man show. There should be a plurality of godly leaders. The new and young house churches in Crete had a leadership deficiency. Titus was to appoint elders “in every town.” Paul says he was to do so “as I directed you.” Eldership is not a novel approach to church government. It is an apostolic directive handed down to us in the New Testament. Christ is the Head of the church, and he exercises his authority through a plurality of qualified men.

The Standard of Commitment Men. Verse 6 is not an independent statement. It completes the sentence that began in verse 5. Paul shifts from directing Titus to appoint elders to explaining what to look for in elders. Paul begins with a general and specific standard. 

A General Standard. Verse 6 says, “If anyone is above reproach.” “Anyone” suggests an open invitation. But he must be “above reproach.” Irreproachability does not mean a man without flaws or faults. It means he is a man of integrity who has a good reputation within and outside of the church. Eldership does not require perfection. It does require godliness. Elders should be blameless men against whom there are no credible accusations of unrepentant sin. To protect the reputation of elders and the church, 1 Timothy 5:19-20 instructs, “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.”

A Specific Standard. After stating that elders must be above reproach, Paul describes the committed man’s domestic life. The fact that a man is successful in business does not mean he should be a leader in the church. One’s homelife is the proving ground for spiritual leadership. 1 Timothy 3:5 asks, “If someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for god’s church?” Note that these domestic qualifications assume that pastoral leadership is reserved for qualified men. This distinction is not arbitrary. It is a part of the divine order for the home and the church. The burden of proof is on those who endorse women pastors. The violence you have to do to scripture to force that door open leaves you unable to close the door back to other errors. A man of commitment is a blameless husband and father. 

A Blameless Husband. Verse 6 says he is “the husband of one wife.” He is to be “a one-woman man.” This does not exclude single men. Paul, Timothy, and Titus were single. Jesus was single! It does not necessarily exclude divorced men. If a man were divorced before his conversion, that should be no impediment. If, as a Christian, he was divorced on biblical grounds, that should be no impediment. But remember, the church is the bride of Christ. A man who does not honor the sanctity of marriage should not be considered for spiritual leadership. Flirtatious, sexually immoral, or unfaithful men need not apply. Spiritual leaders are faithful.

Blameless Fathers. Verse 6 says, “His children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.” Respected Bible teachers interpret this statement at face value. They argue that the elder’s children must be professing believers. But we must be careful not to intrude on the free and sovereign grace of God in salvation. Likewise, “believers” can be translated “faithful.” That reading is more consistent with 1 Timothy 3:4: “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity, keeping his children submissive.” Ultimately, Paul explains what he means when verse 6 adds that the children are “not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.”

A Man of Character

Verse 7 introduces a new term: “overseer.” It means what it indicates. The pastors are to oversee the church. Acts 20:28 says, “Pray careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his blood.” “Overseer” in verse 7 is synonymous with “elders” in verse 6. A pastor is an elder is an overseer. Verse 7 calls him “God’s steward.” It is God’s house. We are his stewards. 

1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” Repeating verse 6 for emphasis, Paul says the overseer “must be above reproach.” Verses 7-8 describe the elder’s character negatively and positively. 

What Overseers Must Not Be. Verse 7 states five negative traits that disqualify a man from spiritual leadership. 

First, he must not be “arrogant.” The term describes an overbearing person who is stubborn and self-willed. He is always right. He is a control freak. He must have his way. Do not let a man into leadership who forgets the church belongs to Christ, not him. 

Second, he must not be “quick-tempered.” A hot-tempered man with a short fuse is not leadership material. Proverbs 19:19 says, “A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.” Stay away from men who are soon angry.

Thirdly, he must not be “a drunkard.” Paul did not teach abstinence. But he was clear that no Christian should ever be intoxicated. Christian leaders should exemplify Ephesians 5:18: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Fourthly, he must not be “violent.” He must not be a striker or brawler. Spiritual leadership thrusts you into tense situations. An overseer must not be a man who settles things with his fists. Elders should be humble shepherds, not violent gangsters.

Fifthly, he must not be “greedy for gain.” 1 Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” But a pastor must not be motivated by money. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 

What Overseers Must Be  

• Verse 7 records six negatively stated character traits for overseers. 
• Verse 8 records six positively stated character traits for overseers. 

First, he must be “hospitable.” It means “a lover of strangers.” Some Christians were cast out of their communities because of their faith. To host an outcast Christian invited persecution. It was dangerous for traveling Christians to stay in notorious inns. Christian hospitality was a sacrificial act that spiritual leaders were to model. 

Secondly, he must be “a lover of good.” Sinners love bad, wrong, false things. Galatians 5:23 says the fruit of the Spirit is goodness. The witness of the church requires leaders who are lovers of good. Elders should not just do what is good. They should love what is good. 

Thirdly, he must be “self-controlled.” This term means to be sane or sober. It describes one who is wise, prudent, or temperate. Titus 2:5 says the older women should teach the younger women to be self-controlled. Self-control should characterize all the saints, especially spiritual leaders. 2 Timothy 4:5 says, “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

  The last three character traits in verse 8 complement each other. 

• To be upright is to have a proper attitude toward others. 
• To be holy is to have a proper attitude toward God. 
• To be disciplined is to have a proper attitude toward oneself. 

A Man of Conviction

Verse 6 presents the personal qualifications for elders. Verses 7-8 present the moral qualifications for elders. Verse 9 presents the doctrinal qualifications for elders. The qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 are all character-driven, with one exception. 1 Timothy 3:2 says an overseer must be “able to teach.” What does it mean to be able to teach?

Getting The Message Right. Verse 9 says, “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.” To “host firm” is to cling to or care for a thing. Pastors should be zealous in their devotion to biblical truth. 1 Timothy 4:16 says, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” Paul calls scripture “the trustworthy word.” You can trust God’s word! Why? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” You should be faithful to the word, because the word has been faithful to you. 

Paul says he must hold firm to the trustworthy word “as taught.” It is what Acts 2:42 calls “the apostles’ teaching.”The apostle’s doctrine has been canonized in the New Testament. Be on guard against so-called preachers who misuse, misinterpret, and misrepresent scripture. Jude 3 exhorts, “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Getting the Message Out. Verse 9 ends with two reasons elders must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught. 

To Declare The Truth. Verse 9 says the pastor must be a man of conviction “so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine.” Biblical preaching is not inspiration void of instruction. We must teach sound doctrine.“Sound” means healthy or hygienic. Sound doctrine is life-giving, life-sustaining, and life-transforming. Matthew 28:20commissions us to teach disciples to obey the commands of Christ. Stirring music, felt-need programs, and special events may fill the pews. We must be taught to think and act biblically. 

To Defend the Truth. The elder must also be a man of conviction “to rebuke those who contradict it.” This threat was not hypothetical or theoretical. Titus 1:10-11 says, “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.” 

• Pastors should not go looking for a fight. 
• They should not run from a fight either! 

The truth is worth fighting for!  2 Timothy 2:24-25 says, “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”